Fan Lihong, director of the 9.18 Historical Museum

 
Exhibited artifact: The school flag of Northeast Jingcun Middle School  
Narrator: Fan Lihong, director of the 9.18 Historical Museum

The 9.18 Historical Museum was founded in 1991, on the 60th anniversary of the September 18th Incident. It remains the only museum worldwide dedicated to comprehensively reflecting the history of the September 18th Incident. In its solemn exhibition hall, a treasured flag is displayed, quietly telling a story that must never be forgotten.   

The school flag of Northeast Jingcun Middle School

 
The seed of education 

One artifact is the school flag of Northeast Jingcun Middle School, which was founded in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province in 1936 by renowned patriotic educator Che Xiangchen. 

After the September 18th Incident, thousands of children from Northeast China fled with their parents to the country's interior. Many who reached Xi'an had no access to schooling, ending up on the streets or even begging. 

In 1935, Che Xiangchen arrived in Xi'an and was deeply saddened by the plight of these children. Believing that the nation was at a critical juncture of survival and that the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) needed to cultivate future forces, he resolutely gathered the children and began teaching them in his own home. That same year, he conceived the idea of establishing a school. With only 2 yuan to his name, he purchased simple teaching tools and borrowed makeshift desks from neighbors, founding Jingcun Primary School under extremely difficult conditions.  

The following year, Che founded Northeast Jingcun Middle School. At the opening ceremony, he said: "I named the school 'Jingcun' to make students understand that we must strive and fight for survival. The vow of us northeastern people to 'fight back to our homeland' demonstrates our firm determination to resist." 

Later, inspired by Che's patriotism and his call to resist the Japanese invasion, the students of Northeast Jingcun Middle School procured a piece of white silk and, imitating his handwriting, sewed black characters onto it that read: "Northeast Jingcun Middle School."  

A spiritual banner 

The school flag of Northeast Jingcun Middle School not only flew proudly at the school but also accompanied Che and his patriotic students to the front lines of wartime publicity, becoming a spiritual banner of resistance. 

This flag embodies the indomitable spirit of the Chinese people in the face of Japanese aggression, which is their refusal to submit and their determination to rise up and fight. 

It also conveys the firm resolve of people in the Northeast during that time to strive for survival and persist in the war until the end. "Fight back to reclaim our homeland" was their most steadfast vow.
 
From its establishment in 1936, the school operated for nearly a decade, educating over 3,000 students. More than 300 graduates made their way to Yan'an, the revolutionary base in Northwest China, many of whom became key figures in the War of Resistance Against Japanese aggression.  

Che's establishment of school was influenced and inspired by the Communist Party of China (CPC)'s call for resistance and national salvation. He actively responded to the CPC's principles, closely integrating education with the cause of national liberation. By nurturing a new generation of youth with patriotic spirit and fighting consciousness, he effectively implemented the CPC's strategic deployments during the war. 

After the victory, Che joined the CPC in 1946 and continued devoting himself to education and the construction of the country as a Party member.  

Hope of a nation

In any era, education is always the hope of the nation and a spark that can ignite national hope. The youth are always the hope of the country and the nation.
 
The school flag of Northeast Jingcun Middle School showcases how patriotic educators, even in extremely difficult times, prioritized education and persisted in cultivating forces for the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. This spirit carries deep contemporary significance even today.  

As we mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, we still face numerous challenges. 

The spirit of resisting aggression displayed by the teachers and students of Northeast Jingcun Middle School at a critical moment of national survival holds significant contemporary meaning for uniting national strength and inspiring the youth to move forward. 

Amid unprecedented changes in a century, the fighting spirit they represent will continue to guide us in building consensus and pooling strength, providing powerful spiritual motivation for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This is also an important reason why we must still promote the great spirit of the War of Resistance today.